Australian PM Gillard`s popularity inclines: Poll

Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister
Julia Gillard`s popularity has downslided due to the controversial carbon tax plan, according to a survey released Tuesday.

The Essential Report today showed that though 29 per cent voter were satisfied with Gillard`s work, the opposition
leader Tony Abbott managed to make a narrow lead by 39 to 37
per cent, compared to last year when she was in front 53 per cent to 26 per cent.
The ruling Labor party trailed behind Tony Abbott`s Liberal/National Coalition, which led by 50 per cent to 30 per
cent, the report said.

Essential`s pollster Andrew Bunn said if elections
were to be held now, it would be "getting on to the proportion
of the New South Wales State election", which was a massacre
for the Labor government.

"This is the first time we`ve [Essential] had him ahead and the approval ratings for PM Gillard have been rapidly reducing over the last couple of months," ABC report quoted Bunn as saying.
"The major movement started in both voting intention and approval from the announcement in February of the carbon
pricing.

The two party preferred was neck-and-neck in February
and it`s now 57-43 per cent," Bunn said.